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Orchestral, Symphonies, Szymanowski (composer)
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Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 & Concert Overture
Louis Lortie (piano)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Edward Gardner
These performances prove ideal, finding luminosity at the opening, and delivering a taut, energetic fugal finale...In the oberek dance rhythms of the orgiastic finale, Gardner shows how he has... —
Awards:
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BBC Music Magazine Awards, 2014, Orchestral Finalist
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Gramophone Magazine, March 2013, Editor's Choice
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Szymanowski: Concertos, Orchestral & Choral Works
RecommendedIwona Sobotka, Timothy Robinson, Katarina Karnéus, Thomas Zehetmair (violin), Leif Ove Andsnes (piano), Elzbieta Szmytka, Jadwiga Rappé, Philip Langridge & Thomas Hampson, Florence Quivar, Jon Garrison & John Connell
City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus & Orchestra, with City of Birmingham...
Both these differing works [Song of the Night and Stabat Mater] are sensitively performed, giving the listener an excellent insight into the contrasting aspects of this composer's work. Rattle's... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Awards, 1997, Winner - Concerto
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Choral
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Engineering
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Szymanowski - Choral Works
Elzbieta Szmytka, Florence Quivar, John Connell & Jon Garrison
CBSO Chorus & City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle
Three of Szymanowski's most important works show Rattle's ability to energise music in which he believes. Sensuality and cogency blend in refined sound. —
Awards:
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Choral
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Engineering
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Audio formats guide -
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Szymanowski: Stabat Mater, Op. 53, etc.
Elzbieta Szmytka, Florence Quivar, Jon Garrison, John Connell
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle
The first impression here is that Rattle is relatively new to Szymanowski. There's a huge enthusiasm here, a missionary quality that bespeaks the recent convert. On the other hand the care over... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Choral
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Gramophone Awards, 1995, Winner - Engineering
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Audio formats guide -
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Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3
Ben Johnson (tenor)
BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Chorus, Edward Gardner
The BBC Symphony Chorus sings with languid exaltation, yet it is the orchestral detail that impresses most here, right from the still, mystery-laden opening...Gardner conducts with such conviction... —
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Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 4 & Stabat Mater
RecommendedDenis Matsuev (piano), Kostas Smoriginas (bass-baritone), Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo-soprano) & Sally Matthews (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Chorus, Valery Gergiev
The hot-house Scriabinesque chromaticism of Szymanowski’s Second Symphony seems tailor-made for Valery Gergiev’s impulsive interpretation. Unfortunately, the Barbican’s dry acoustic undermines... —
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 3rd June 2013
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Szymanowski: Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19, etc.
Howard Shelley (piano)
BBC Philharmonic, Vassily Sinaisky
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Szymanowski and Zemlinsky
RecommendedElina Vähälä (violin), Johanna Winkel (soprano) & Michael Nagy (baritone)
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Liebreich
This is a very attractive pairing of two early 20th-century works distinguished by the opulence of their orchestral textures…a very recommendable offering. —
Awards:
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Building A Library, April 2022, Also Recommended
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Szymanowski - Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3
Ewa Marczyk (violin solo), Ryszard Minkiewicz (tenor)
Warsaw Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Szymanowski's Symphony No. 2 shows him beginning to approach his first maturity as a composer… In Symphony No. 3, composed five years later, the mature Szymanowski has arrived. Again, this... —
Awards:
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Gramophone Magazine, May 2008, Editor's Choice
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Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos 3 & 4 & Stabat Mater
Toby Spence (tenor), Denis Matsuev (piano), Sally Matthews (soprano), Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo) & Kostas Smoriginas (baritone)
London Symphony Orchestra, with London Symphony Chorus, Valery Gergiev
Matsuev has his feet...firmly planted on terra firma, the edgier writing displaying more of a kinship with Bartok until the gorgeous return to lushness in the second movement suggests an almost... —
